So we are trying something new this year: A Christmas Blog. No postage, no commitment. You will not be held hostage to THIS Christmas letter! You can read as little or as much as you like. And yes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
First, bien sur, Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
BECKETT
HRH Beckett Official Baby Photo
We got a DOG! Beckett is a First for our family, a Boston Terrier, hailing from Merced (we didn’t know where it was either, or how to pronounce it). Now we have another mouth to feed, with the 6 horses and 4 kids. This one eats cottage cheese and has tripled his net value with all the supplies and vet bills. Broken toes, mange, ringworm, clip-clip. Now healthy and happy, hopefully he will stay this way for a while.
AMELIA
As well as chasing Beckett around and taking him to the barn daily, Amelia takes classes online at the University of Utah, and rides multiple horses. She made it to the National Dressage Championships in Gladstone NJ this year with Veto, our 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. He can’t buck her off like he could Diane. She also is riding Rembrand at the Intermediare II level.She got her wisdom teeth extracted and we all enjoyed her ramblings while under-the-influence of anesthesia.
JACOB
Jacob started out 2012 with a trip to the hospital for surgery on his arm. Seems as if a pesky bug took up residence and invited friends. After a night in the hospital, he came back to California and continued his recovery. We are grateful for antibiotics and good physicians. He had a great year at Oaks Christian School. As well as holding up an intense academic load, he had a wonderful time in the school musical last spring, “Anything Goes.” This fall, he sings in the choir, and studies ALL THE TIME. He got his driver permit this summer, and we are working on getting those practice hours finished. Jacob continues to eat Vegetarian (with fish). He and Beckett have lots of bonding hours while they study together.
AARON
Aaron continues his music studies at Berklee School of Contemporary Music in Boston. He plans to finish up next August. How touching that we will have 2 college grads. He is still climbing rocks and cliffs and towers at every opportunity. This summer, he took another epic trip to British Columbia and the Wind River Range in Wyoming. No broken bones! And he is inventive in his quest for new looks: beards, mustaches and other variations on facial hair.
DANIEL & CLAIRE
Daniel and Claire said goodbye to Boston and moved to Iowa City, where he started an MD/Phd program, and she got multiple jobs as a physical therapist. They have a nice apartment close to campus. They took a summer trip to Thailand and have enjoyed a few weekend trips to Chicago. But mostly their life is that intense M1 year and more-than-full-time work. They serve in the nursery in their married student ward.
DAVID & DIANE
We continue to enjoy living in Westlake Village. The Westlake Village Ward is so warm and supportive. The climate is perfect. David is the Ward Mission Leader and we have been blessed to work with wonderful missionaries and welcome several new members into the Church here. He continues to study Pilates, ride his road bike, and run several miles a week. He grows perpetually younger it seems. His latest quest–for the closest shave possible–leaves his face baby soft.
Diane directs the choir in the Ward, and loves it! She is trying to cope with getting old. After a relatively easy hand surgery for a couple of trigger fingers, she cut her finger badly, and has a new respect for chef’s knives. She lost her mother in August, and her Dad last November, so it has been a difficult year that way. She studies Pilates regularly, rides her mountain bike sometimes, rides Madore (her old man horse) and enjoys the progress of Zia, her 8 year old mare.
Christmas All Year 